Being an entrepreneur can be exhausting. It’s very demanding of your time and in order to build a successful business you have to go all in and dedicate your life to it. Sometimes the hectic schedule causes you to put some things on the back burner, including your health, fitness and well-being.
Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. It’s important that you don’t neglect your health, All the success in the world is irrelevant if your health is compromised.
There are several little things you can do to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, no matter how busy you are. We spoke to some very busy individuals to get their suggestions for maintaining a healthy lifestyle along with a non-stop busy schedule. Here are some ideas that you should consider adapting and trying out yourself.
Understand that sleep in vital and get enough every night.
“There is always talk about working long hours and not sleeping. It’s almost glorified within the business world, but this mentality will actually lower your performance. You need to get sleep every night, and doing so will make you much more productive.
If you are running low on sleep you will be sluggish, and your performance will suffer. Everyone is different. Some can perform great on five hours, while some need a full eight hours. Figure out what your optimal sleep time is and make sure you get it every night. Don’t be afraid to go to sleep early or sleep in. Do whatever it takes to get your rest.” – Christopher Kerr, VP Marketing at Earnhardt Lexus
Take supplements daily.
“You need to make sure you are getting the right combination of vitamins and nutrients every single day. Sometimes it’s not possible to get them in all via regular meals, so supplements are a great alternative. You can have your doctor run a test to see what you are missing, and look for supplements to help you get your levels up.
This can improve your health, energy levels and also help combat colds. The last thing you want to do is have to miss work because you are sick. Keeping your health at a high level gives you so many benefits, and it’s easy to accomplish by taking supplements that are readily available at the grocery store.” – Chad Gaynier of Clarity Clinic
Prep your meals in advance.
“The worst thing you can do is eat out every meal and opt for fast food. While convenient and quick, it’s a health nightmare. Processed foods are filled with horrible stuff that you should avoid at all costs. It’s not hard to eat clean if you are willing to prepare in advance.
Set aside a couple of hours every Sunday to prepare and freeze meals for the next two weeks. When all you have to do is open the freezer and grab a container it makes it easy. In fact, it’s easier than going to get fast food and it’s 100 times healthier. Chicken breast, ground turkey or lean beef and veggies is a great option.” – Michael Herron, Law Offices of Michael R. Herron
Track your daily macros.
“Think of what you track for your business. Revenue, expenses, marketing costs, etc. Everything in and out is tracked. When you take the same approach to your health and fitness you see great results. It would be impossible to build a successful business without tracking everything. The same logic applies to health.
Use an app like My Fitness Pal to log and track all of the food you eat daily. When you set goals and track everything you can make sure your macros are on point every day. This is how you lose weight, maintain levels and see positive results.” – Paul Kelly, 247 CCTV Security Ltd
Stop sitting – get a standing desk.
“Sitting at a desk with your back hunched over all day is horrible for your health. They say sitting all day can contribute to heart disease and back problems. Standing desks became very popular several years ago and it’s a much healthier option.
Sure, you can lower it and sit if you have a conference call or need to sit and focus, but when you are checking emails or doing other busy work, raise it up and stand. This gives you the freedom to move around. This is a much healthier choice. There are even optional treadmills to take work-fitness to a new level.” – Hyung Park, President of Abraham Lincoln University
Dedicate an hour daily to physical exercise.
“The hardest part about going to the gym is making the time. In the end that is just an excuse, because if you really want to improve your health you will find the time. You can carve out an hour before, during or after work to go to the gym.
If you can’t get away mid-day or your evenings are full of family activities, then you need to make the time in the morning. If that means getting up an hour early and leaving for work earlier, then it’s a sacrifice you need to make. It’s much easier to stay dedicated once you start to see noticeable results. The beginning is always the hardest.” – Christopher Dziak, CEO of Pure Nootropics
Learn to disconnect from work at night.
“Stress and anxiety can play a major role in your overall health. As an entrepreneur, you are always going to be faced with stressful situations and a lot of uncertainty. The last thing you want to do is let that consume you. If you let it occupy your mind 24/7 it will really impact you negatively.
The best thing to do is learn to leave work related stress at the office and disconnect in the evening. It’s going to be there when you get back in the morning. Spending time with family and friends and not discussing or thinking about the business is very healthy. It can be difficult to separate work and home, but once you figure out how to best disconnect you will learn to appreciate the time away.” – Ignacio Soria, CEO of Cann & Co.
Cut out soda entirely.
“Transforming your diet is not always easy, but there is one thing you can do that produces fast and amazing results. Simply eliminating soda and replacing it with water will boost your energy levels, reduce sluggishness, make your skin healthier and result in weight loss.
Many people assume that ‘diet’ soda and ‘zero calorie’ soda is healthy and the same as water. It’s not. The chemicals and additives in them are horrible for you and they cause you to retain water, among other things. Eliminate it for 30 days and watch what that alone will do. It’s a great way to kick-start a healthy journey.” – Tad Thomas, Managing Partner of Thomas Law Offices
Create a schedule to develop healthy habits.
“They say it takes 66 days to create a habit that becomes automatic. The only way you are going to stick to a routine for that long is to create a schedule and follow it exactly. You have to be committed, but you also need to set up your schedule in a way that works for you. If you have a schedule that will not be easy to follow every day you are setting yourself up for failure.
Everything, from when you go to the gym to when you eat your meals needs to be mapped out. You need to create a schedule that you can easily follow day in and day out. Make it realistic, or you will not succeed. Once your routine develops into a habit it becomes easier, but the first couple months will be the hardest, so set yourself up to succeed.” – Pat Skinner of AnswerFirst
Find an accountability partner.
“One of the best things you can do if you decide to pursue a healthier lifestyle is to find someone that is also willing to take the journey with you. Having an accountability partner helps you both stay on track. If you are frustrated you can keep each other motivated and simply texting back and forth can keep motivation levels high.
It also reduces the chance of you cheating on a meal or skipping a gym session. Not only do you not want to let yourself down, but you don’t want to disappoint your accountability partner. You can leverage this relationship to push each other to new levels. It’s much easier to deal with the beginning stages when you can talk to someone who is also experiencing the same thoughts.” – Chris Moberg, President of Slumber Search